Mechanical gravity activated electrical switch



Sept. 7, 1943. R. T. STEPHENS 2,328,855

MECHANICAL GRAVITY ACTIVATED ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed April zo, 1942 Patented Sept. 7, 1943 MECHANICAL GRAVITY^ACTIVATED ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Richard T. Stephens, SanFr'ancis'co,-Calif-. appiieatiennpritzo,1942, serial. No.. 439,753..

3 Claims;

My'zinvention relates-to'poirtable electric lamps such. las-.flash lights 'ina general Iand to-.switchesAI which. are rgravity)operated Kor activated -inwpar-y ticuiar. The primary object of thegpresentfinvention;iswthe.closingpfthe'circuit when the'lampg bulbis `tilted well belowftthe horizontalfplane and thex opening of .the circuit when'. the raised lamp;V

bulb isi still we1l belowthehoriZontal. plane.:

A second object `of my switch-isfhat it may be." selfi. contained` andthe 4devicegplaced .withinany lamp, shelltolbecome za 4secendarylimiting; control supplementing thefflamps -r manually .controlled switch.;

A further object 'foftmygswitch party ofY the 4same and constitutingthe sole switch-v ingdevicevefthe lamp.; l

Another object o-fnmyqswltch" is to iprovide safe f switching p fdev-ice': fully, inclcsedin'-4 a vapo-r and 'dustproof housing,= to .decrease -.the,ahazard .of L

exposed. contact; points thatmight; create danger ousfsparkingandl serious explosions.;

A further object of my switch is that itfcan` be used'withln. anygashlilamp to provide the means of rapid blinking for signaling in code. When positioned as illustrated in the drawing the light would be directed below the horizontal and when positioned in the reverse fashion, the lamp signals would be sent in an upward direction.

Other objects will suggest themselves or be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing; the latter illustrates one embodiment of the present invention and in which the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my switch in a lamp barrel; Figure 2 is a View of the interior of switch cover in perspective. Figure 3 is a plan view of the switch body viewed from inside.

Referring to the drawing the lower or body part of housing I, engages the upper or cover part of housing 2, both of which are moldedof insulating material, cemented or sealed together after assembly. The movable contact 3, is xed to the flat spring conductor 6, the latter being secured to the conductor plate 9 by the screw II. A slot I cut in the straight wall of hole or pocket Ii] of member 2, serves as a side guide for spring 6 to insure alignment of movable contact 3 with stationary contact 4 to better withstand any side thrust of ball 5. The positive alignment of contact 3 above contact 4 and that of spring S with respect to slot 'I is insured in assembly by engaging small hole I1 in member l, with projecting pin I8 a part of member 2. A suitable conductor strip 8 attached to or a continuation of contact that it may. be incorporated within: the `lampi as yarr-integral1 4 is exposed onfthe outside surface ofhousing to form :the-terminal :which will engagethe'base :Y

The spring interposed as 'show-nis not essential `as` contact *may belmade directly between;v grounded:- framecap I4 and terminal plateiorlbetween'" aatspringginplace ofy the coiled spring I5-asof battery- I3-to1establish circuitcontact.l

space dictates.

Referring tolFigure'-f1f,-a feature tof my switchls -the,inclined wallioftheannulan recess `I2 which'v forms fthefenclosure'or raceway for ball 5.y If

for examplethe majorfaxis of the lampbarrel IB is ftilted. below` horizontal position approximately,` 20 degrees ball.5 rolls-forward pressing its weight f and force againstspringBclosingcontact 3 on Contact 4;,- assuming either there is a'conventional switch: inlthe 'circuit :and already, in 'clc-sedposition, on else\none, the Ylamp will light. When the: lamp barrel IG- is` again raised and-while-its major-axis yis yeti approxi-mately v20 degrees below truefhorizontahthat portion of the raceway surface-,I2 whichiis engaged with ballv 5 will.l have:r reachedahorizontal position,- if the barrel Illsy raisedany-higher :the raceway vsurface engaging I, thefballv willlber-slantingbelow horizontal and the:v

ball 5 immediately in rolling away allows spring 6 to withdraw contact 3 from contact 4 breaking the circuit.

It should be noted particularly that the pocket I0 for the ball 5 is disposed in the housing offcentrically and near the peripheral wall thereof, while the spring 6 is anchored so as to extend diametrically clear across the housing. In view of the small dimensions required for accommodation of the entire switch in a conventional flashlight, this feature is of considerable importance, since it provides a long leverage for the ball to operate the spring. This makes the device more sensitive and more reliably responsive to gravity operation.

From the foregoing description in conjunction with the drawing it will be apparent4 that my switch can be advantageously used within portable lamps serving a very useful purpose during blackouts; similar wartime precautionary restrictions of light will suggest themselves. For example, by the simple expedient of turning the housing of my switch around, so that the stationary contact, no-W engages the end cap, or the interposed spring, of the lamp barrel it can readily be seen that the switch now will function so as to limit light in an upward direction only and in an arc of 180 degrees or less.

While I have described but one embodiment of my switch and but cne'application of its use,

it is to be understood that my drawing is to aid my description, and likewise words that I have used in description of my switch, are merely descriptive in scope, rather than of limitation.

I found it desirable to illustrate my switch greatly enlarged in order to better show details of it in its present form; the model which I made being substantially as illustrated having a case 3/8 by 1" overall, outside, measurements.

What I claim is:

1. A portable switch for a iiashlight, or the like, comprising a fiat annular housing having a side wall and end members, the end members having outer contact faces adapted for insertion into a circuit, means for insulating the contact faces from one another, one of the end members havlng an internal contact face in electrical comnunication with its outer contact face, a relaively small pocket member projecting from the second end member near the side Wall and toward said internal contact face, a cantilever spring contact extending diametrically across the housing intermediate the two end members and having one end anchored with respect t0 the second contact face and having a free end projecting over the pocket member so as to be normally spaced from but movable toward the internal contact face of the first end member, and a weight movable in the pOcket member for urging the free end of the cantilever spring contact upon the internal Contact face for closing the circuit when the housing is tilted in one direction and to release the spring contact for opening the Cl'Ci-iit when the tilting movement is reversed.

2. A switch for a flashlight or the like, comprising a at annular housing having a side wall and end members, the end members having outer contact faces adapted for insertion into a circuit, means for insulating the contact faces from one another, one of the end members having an internal contact face in electrical communication with its outer contact face, a relatively small pocket member projecting from the second end member near the side wall and toward said internal contact face, a cantilever spring contact extending diametrically across the housing intermediate the two end members and having one end anchored with respect to the second contact face and having a free end projecting over the pocket member so as to be normally spaced from but movable toward the internal contact face of the iirst end member, and a weight movable in the pocket member for urging the free end of the cantilever spring contact upon the internal contact face for closing the circuit when the housing is tilted in one direction and to release the spring contact for opening the circuit when the tilting movement is reversed, the Wall of the pocket member being tapered to delay movement of the weight until a desired tilting angle has been reached.

3. A portable switch for a ashlight or the like, comprising a fiat annular housing having a side wall and end members, the end members having outer contact faces adapted for insertion into a circuit, means for insulating the contact faces from one another, one of the end members having an internal contact face in electrical communication with its outer contact face, a relatively small pocket member projecting from the second end member near the side Wall and toward said internal contact face, a cantilever spring contact extending diametrically across the housing intermediate the two end members, and having one end anchored with respect to the second contact face and having a free end projecting over the pocket member so as to be normally spaced from but movable toward the internal contact face of the first end member, and a weight movable in the pocket member for urging the end of the cantilever spring contact upon the internal contact face for closing the circuit when the housing is tilted in one direction and to release the spring contact for opening the circuit when the tilting movement is reversed, the pocket member having a slot in the wall thereof for receiving and guiding the free end of the cantilever spring.

RICHARD T. STEPHENS. 

